Chapter 225: Two Thumbs Up

"Yes, it's tiring, but it's like this every day," Gal Gadot spoke on the phone as she approached the door of the contestants' dining area, continuing her conversation with Murphy. "Paparazzi? They can't do anything if I don't leave the hotel. Don't worry, I can handle them."

Lisa Hewitt, who was waiting in the hotel lobby earlier, approached with a newspaper in hand and whispered, "I'll go in first, and wait for you at our usual spot."

Gal Gadot wrapped up her phone call to have lunch, telling Murphy, "I'll talk to you tonight. Bye, Murphy."

After hanging up and putting away her phone, she walked into the dining area, picked up her custom meal from the counter, and made her way to the corner table where Lisa was seated. Their meals were meager, reflecting the rigorous diet and sacrifices behind their glamorous physique.

Gal Gadot emotionlessly chewed on her bland, sauceless vegetables before swallowing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a few girls nearby whispering and pointing in their direction.

Lisa, also aware of the whispers, said, "Ignore them. They're just fools driven by jealousy and envy."

Gal Gadot forced a smile and returned to her modest lunch.

Yesterday, two South American contestants had gone to a nearby cinema to watch an advance screening of "Sin City." Since this morning, rumors had been spreading among the contestants about her and Murphy, accusing him of disrespecting women and exploiting their bodies for lowbrow entertainment, while suggesting that Gal, as Miss Israel, was dating him solely to advance her Hollywood career, foregoing self-respect and self-love.

Frustrated and angry, Gal Gadot slammed her fork down, "I don't care what they say about me... but to say Murphy only makes lowbrow films!"

Lisa, surprised by Gal's reaction and caring for her new boyfriend, quickly grabbed the newspaper beside her and opened it to a specific column. "Do they understand movies? They're just ignorant. Here, read this instead. This is a professional critique. Roger Ebert, America's most famous film critic and a Pulitzer Prize winner, gave Murphy's film a perfect score!"

Gal Gadot immediately shifted her focus to the newspaper, drawn to the prominent column by Roger Ebert.

"Murphy Stanton and 'Sin City', A Dazzling Blend of Black and White!"

Ebert's headline already conveyed immense praise and admiration for the film.

"A city so cool it's stunning, with black and white as its foundation and cruelty at its core. Murphy Stanton has given it a unique character, even differing from Frank Miller's original comic."

"'Sin City' shines brilliantly in the hands of Murphy Stanton. Color is his sharpest weapon!"

"Black and white, mixed with vivid colors—blood red to cause eyes to bulge, sickly yellow that nauseates, and eerie blue that chills the spine. These colors boldly tear through the curtain, turning the oppression and weight of black and white into dazzling extremity."

"Cruelty mixes with the complex clash of good and evil. Both heroes and villains are brutal and ruthless. In this city, mercilessness and immorality are essential for survival."

"The film presents three seemingly interconnected but independent stories, all revolving around murder. Stanton's interpretation of extreme aesthetic violence is near perfect, turning Sin City, The Big Kill, and Yellow Bastard from tragic tales of death into frenzied feasts of vengeance. Without experiencing it yourself, one can never understand its bizarre thrill."

"Then there's Jessica Alba, wielding a whip, twisting her waist. She delivers her most spectacular performance, embodying a city's sensuality and brutality."

"Though based on Frank Miller's comics, Murphy Stanton's adaptation is astoundingly brilliant!"

"Even after watching many films, 'Sin City' still left me shaken. Stanton has elevated violent aesthetics to a new level. Initially, I was taking notes, but soon stopped; if I continued, I would've missed too many shocking details. By the end, I was mesmerized."

"Every character in the film is an extreme exaggeration of human traits, and the actors, under Stanton's direction, deliver performances that make these characters surpass reality and become fascinating."

"Murphy Stanton has a unique ability to draw extraordinary performances from his actors."

"Regarding Jessica Alba, this young and beautiful girl becomes a bewitching flower in Stanton's hands. Her Nancy is sexy yet naive, flamboyant yet innocent, showing a dramatic change in both acting and image."

"Jonah Hill's performance breaks away from his usual chubby and humorous image. On screen, the cannibalistic Kevin is mysterious, calm, and vicious."

"Seth Rogen, in his second collaboration with Stanton, also changes his usual image, portraying Marv as vulgar, ugly, debauched, yet sensitive and sentimental."

"My favorite characters are Hartigan and Dwight. Robert Downey Jr.'s Hartigan adheres to the law, tough yet tender-hearted; James Franco, whom I'd only heard of, fascinated me as Dwight. He's cold yet fiery, fragile yet flamboyant..."

"This film, besides its comic-style cult appeal, also carries thought-provoking social significance."

"In its surreal stories, I see a cruel and real societal shadow. The crazed behavior stems from the city's sorrowful power inflation, where law and morality collapse under absolute power, leaving the powerful unrestrained and the common people either oppressed or resorting to violent self-destruction."

"Hartigan epitomizes this, trying to uphold justice and rules, only to be tortured and lose his family, freedom, dignity, everything. Nancy, whom he saved and who cares for him, becomes the sole attachment in his shattered world. Their age-gap romance may be taboo, but in extreme circumstances, it blossoms into a distorted yet deeply poignant and desolate flower."

"When society loses control, even morally upright elderly struggle. And when Hartigan declares, 'After achieving this miracle, I can punch God,' it speaks volumes of the bloody cruelty and helplessness."

"Finally, with its blatant aesthetic violence and underlying social messages, Murphy Stanton will surely make this film a classic in North American cinema!"

Reading this, Gal Gadot felt more relief than after an exhausting physical training session, a cool sensation spreading from her eyes and brain to every corner of her body, even making her feel full despite her usual hunger.

Even Lisa could see the joy in Gal's eyes.

"See? Compared to those rumors, Roger Ebert's critique is more trustworthy and authoritative," Gal reminded herself. "Their slander against Murphy is laughable in comparison!"

At the end of Ebert's column were two iconic thumbs-up, a sign that this Pulitzer Prize winner had given the film his highest praise.

Clearly, in Roger Ebert's eyes, Murphy and "Sin City" were among the best films!

"Didn't I tell you?" Lisa spoke up. "Gal, you don't need to pay attention to those fools' rumors."

"I won't," Gal replied, closing the newspaper. "Can I keep this page?"

Lisa handed over the entire "Chicago Sun-Times" paper, "It's all yours now."

Gal only wanted the one page. She carefully folded it and placed it in her handbag.

Lisa sighed. Just a few days ago, Gal was adamant about not accepting Murphy's advances; now, she was head over heels, almost unrecognizable.

"Ah, she's just a girl inexperienced in love," Lisa thought to herself.

Like Gal saw, many professional critics, including Roger Ebert, praised "Sin City" highly. Despite film critics often diverging from mainstream audiences, well-known critics have built considerable influence over the years, especially among viewers over forty who often read reviews before choosing a film.

Regardless, such acclaim was beneficial for the film's success.

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